Comments on: DeFord Bailey, American musicianhttp://www.metafilter.com/99056/DeFord-Bailey-American-musician/
Comments on MetaFilter post DeFord Bailey, American musicianThu, 30 Dec 2010 07:03:23 -0800Thu, 30 Dec 2010 07:03:23 -0800en-ushttp://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss60DeFord Bailey, American musicianhttp://www.metafilter.com/99056/DeFord-Bailey-American-musician
Within that small and very specific sub-genre of musical Americana identifiable as the <i>train imitation</i>, there is one amazing performance, from 1926, that set the standard: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3f6KodXFRYk">Pan-American Blues</a>. The man who recorded it did a fine and fanciful job of evoking the sounds of a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_e7VBJTHWxo">fox chase</a> as well, and his rhythmically compelling solo rendition of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Gcz7R3-Y3o">John Henry</a> stands as testament to the potential for musical greatness achievable by one man and a humble harmonica. He was an African-American who was a founding member of the Grand Ole Opry, a musical institution that we rarely (as in, <i>never</i>) today associate with black people, and his touching and tragic story, documented <a href="http://www.pbs.org/deford/biography/early.html">here</a>, is one that will be of interest to those concerned with the racial, economic and socio-cultural history of American popular music. He stands at one of its more unexpected intersections: his name is <a href="http://defordbailey.info/">DeFord Bailey</a>. <br /><br />Live performance of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjlR8eS0YPM">Pan-American Blues</a>
Introductory snippet from <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ji08QT8nR-o">DeFord Bailey: a Legend Lost</a>
A little more from <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8H3dCLUCDM&NR=1">DeFord Bailey: a Legend Lost</a>, and note this text, from the closing of that video clip: "<b>DeFord Bailey is the only founding star of the Grand Ole Opry who has not been inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame</b>". Quite possibly as a direct result of that documentary, <a href="http://countrymusichalloffame.org/full-list-of-inductees/view/deford-bailey">Bailey was inducted in 2005</a>
DeFord Bailey <a href="http://www.npr.org/programs/lnfsound/stories/001124.discography.html">discography</a>
DeFord Bailey at <a href="http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=9247">Find A Grave</a>post:www.metafilter.com,2010:site.99056Thu, 30 Dec 2010 06:31:36 -0800flapjax at midnitemusicbluesharmonicaGrandOleOpryNashvilleAmericanaBlackHistoryDeFordBaileyDeFordBaileycountryfolkJohnHenryPan-AmericantrainBy: OmieWisehttp://www.metafilter.com/99056/DeFord-Bailey-American-musician#3442222
Excellent post, as always!comment:www.metafilter.com,2010:site.99056-3442222Thu, 30 Dec 2010 07:03:23 -0800OmieWiseBy: Western Infidelshttp://www.metafilter.com/99056/DeFord-Bailey-American-musician#3442249
Entire libraries could be (have been) filled with what I don't know about music, blues, and harmonicas in particular, but that John Henry track in particular knocked my socks off.
Stories like this always make me wonder what aspects of contemporary culture will one day be considered overlooked classics. I guess I'm probably overlooking them <i>right now</i>.comment:www.metafilter.com,2010:site.99056-3442249Thu, 30 Dec 2010 07:22:36 -0800Western InfidelsBy: itsjustanaliashttp://www.metafilter.com/99056/DeFord-Bailey-American-musician#3442260
Fantastic, I first heard DeFord Bailey on <a href="http://www.audiophileusa.com/item.cfm?record=68841">this record</a> many many years ago. I hadn't ever seen him play, he's just so calm... when I try that I'm gasping like a drowning man....comment:www.metafilter.com,2010:site.99056-3442260Thu, 30 Dec 2010 07:35:59 -0800itsjustanaliasBy: .kobayashi.http://www.metafilter.com/99056/DeFord-Bailey-American-musician#3442264
I can always tell a flapjax post from the first sentence or so. They're the ones about music that make me sit up and say "Oh, I'm going to enjoy this."comment:www.metafilter.com,2010:site.99056-3442264Thu, 30 Dec 2010 07:37:46 -0800.kobayashi.By: empathhttp://www.metafilter.com/99056/DeFord-Bailey-American-musician#3442269
See also: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7w5QwkEnpoA">Loose Caboose.</a>
Not imitation, but god damn that train sound is impressive on a big sound system.comment:www.metafilter.com,2010:site.99056-3442269Thu, 30 Dec 2010 07:43:12 -0800empathBy: snofoamhttp://www.metafilter.com/99056/DeFord-Bailey-American-musician#3442290
When I was starting out in a country band, a lot of our repertoire was based on the train beat and the 1-5 bassline. On occasion the rhythm section would get off from each other by a beat, thrusting us into the dreaded "anti-song", from which there was no escape.comment:www.metafilter.com,2010:site.99056-3442290Thu, 30 Dec 2010 08:07:27 -0800snofoamBy: misterpatrickhttp://www.metafilter.com/99056/DeFord-Bailey-American-musician#3442332
Very interesting stuff. If you enjoyed the Fox Chase piece, check out Tommy Martin playing a very traditional Irish set piece call <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yUlGIIGJms">The Fox Chase</a> on the uilleann pipes. As in the Bailey piece, this one uses the sound of the uilleann pipes to evoke a fox hunt.comment:www.metafilter.com,2010:site.99056-3442332Thu, 30 Dec 2010 08:38:10 -0800misterpatrickBy: nolahttp://www.metafilter.com/99056/DeFord-Bailey-American-musician#3442406
This is very interesting. Nice post.comment:www.metafilter.com,2010:site.99056-3442406Thu, 30 Dec 2010 09:26:39 -0800nolaBy: The Toadhttp://www.metafilter.com/99056/DeFord-Bailey-American-musician#3442467
Woooo, I had been planning to do a mixtape of train songs for quite some time. This is great stuff. Thanks for your excellent posts, flapjax!comment:www.metafilter.com,2010:site.99056-3442467Thu, 30 Dec 2010 10:17:44 -0800The ToadBy: LNhttp://www.metafilter.com/99056/DeFord-Bailey-American-musician#3442478
The Scots have a song like this, too: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvDY_drUGY4&feature=related">The Flying Scotsman</a>.comment:www.metafilter.com,2010:site.99056-3442478Thu, 30 Dec 2010 10:28:39 -0800LNBy: misterpatrickhttp://www.metafilter.com/99056/DeFord-Bailey-American-musician#3442540
And while we're on train songs, be sure and check out Jimmie Rodgers "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbzc77Tz6PA">Waiting on a Train</a>". Rodgers was the first music star in the US and his yodel and falsetto are just wonderful. He also worked as a brakeman on the railroad before being discovered.comment:www.metafilter.com,2010:site.99056-3442540Thu, 30 Dec 2010 11:08:15 -0800misterpatrickBy: OmieWisehttp://www.metafilter.com/99056/DeFord-Bailey-American-musician#3442714
<em>Rodgers was the first music star in the US</em>
I love Jimmie Rodgers, and I'm thankful every day for the<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bristol_sessions"> Bristol Sessions</a>, but its a stretch to say he was the first music star in the US. You'd have to qualify that mightily to even call him the first <em>country</em> music star. Regardless, his train songs are great.comment:www.metafilter.com,2010:site.99056-3442714Thu, 30 Dec 2010 12:21:20 -0800OmieWiseBy: Kirth Gersonhttp://www.metafilter.com/99056/DeFord-Bailey-American-musician#3442736
Two versions of <em>Panama Limited</em> (Bukka White):
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdOToAXo5WQ">Tom Rush</a>
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbb058PpxKU">Leo Kottke</a>comment:www.metafilter.com,2010:site.99056-3442736Thu, 30 Dec 2010 12:31:34 -0800Kirth GersonBy: Jibuzaemonhttp://www.metafilter.com/99056/DeFord-Bailey-American-musician#3443069
<a href="http://ilike.myspacecdn.com/play#Josh+White:Jim+Crow+Train:1639107:s38073018.10389436.17973829.0.2.82%2Cstd_a58a5150225f4321ac17d0caaf1d681d">Here's</a> another great train track (teehee) with some social commentary. Direct from the somewhat controversial <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josh_White">Josh White.</a>comment:www.metafilter.com,2010:site.99056-3443069Thu, 30 Dec 2010 16:13:21 -0800JibuzaemonBy: flapjax at midnitehttp://www.metafilter.com/99056/DeFord-Bailey-American-musician#3443125
<i>Direct from the somewhat controversial Josh White.</i>
Those interested in learning more (and hearing more) from Josh White are referred to <a href="http://www.metafilter.com/64713/Society-Bluesman-Josh-White">my FPP on him</a> from 2007.comment:www.metafilter.com,2010:site.99056-3443125Thu, 30 Dec 2010 17:36:50 -0800flapjax at midnite